MCD polls: 2,590 candidates file nomination papers

New Delhi: As filing of nominations came to
a close on Monday, a total of 2,590 candidates have filed papers
to contest the elections to 272 wards of the Municipal
Corporations of Delhi.

A total of 1,758 candidates filed their nomination papers
today, while 805 had filed their papers earlier, the State
Election Commission said.

All the BJP candidates filed their nominations today as
the final list of candidates of the party was out this
morning.
Though Delhi BJP president Vijender Gupta, presently a
councillor, opted out of contest after his ward was reserved
for women, he managed to get a seat for his wife Shobha
Vijender, who was embroiled in a controversy over alleged
irregularities in her NGO Sampoorna.

Delhi Mayor Rajni Abbi has been fielded from a general
seat Mukherjee Nagar. A total of 139 women were fielded by BJP
as against Congress` over 140.

Three municipal bodies -- East, North and South -- will
go to polls on April 15 and the counting of votes will take
place on April 17. The last date for withdrawal of nomination
is March 28.
The municipal polls are seen as a semi-final between BJP
and Congress ahead of the Assembly polls. Both the main
political parties have kick-started their campaign to woo the
voters.